Heater installation for motor vehicles



Jan. 10, 1939. w. J. REICHLE HEATER INSTALLATION FOR MOTOR VEHICLESFiled April 10, 1936 .lling/llt.

Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES HEATER INSTALLATION FOR MOTOR,VEHICLES William Joseph Reichle, Cincinnati, Ohio Application April 10,1936, Serial No. 73,772

2 Claims.

This invention relates to heating systems for motor Vehicles, and isparticularly ,adapted for installation in connection with trucks andtrailers used for hauling produce to prevent the latter from beingsubjected to damaging temperatures during the winter season. In suchvehicles it is generally necessary to locate the heater a relativelygreat distance from the power plant, with the result that considerableheat loss takes place during conduction of the heating agent to thepoint where the heater may be located. The provision of a satisfactoryheater for vehicles of this type presents the foregoing as. well ascertain other problems which have been satisfactorily solved by thepresent improved system.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a closedor sealed circulatory heating system or apparatus which is particularlysuitable for installations such as those above noted; to provide heatingapparatus for a truck or trailer body wherein the heating device orradiator may be readily located at the most effective point to obtainuniform heat distribution throughout the compartment to be heated andwith a minimum loss of heat during conduction of the heating element tcthe heater; and to provide a simplified and highly eiicient typey ofheating apparatus for trailer bodies embodying a heat exchange device orradiator which may be permanently installed in the trailer or truck bodyand which may be quickly and easily connected and disconnected withrespect to the remainder of the system with a minimum loss of coolinguid from the cooling system from which it is taken.

With the foregoing and other objects and ad-A vantages in view, theinvention consists in the preferred construction and arrangement ofparts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a truck and trailer shown in dotted lineswith the improved heating system operatively installed in connectiontherewith.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the system or apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in longitudinal section of a preferred type ofsteam generator; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of parts of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the power plant or engine isgenerally indicated at l0, the truck cab at l2, the trailer body at I3,the radiator which forms part of the cooling system at l 4, and theexhaust pipe for the engine at l5.

The preferred type of generator or vaporizer consists of a drum l'lwhich is mounted on` the exhaust manifold l5, said drum dening a sealedchamber I8 which is heated by the exhaust pipe. Water or fluid from thecooling system is shown as being taken from the engine block through themedium of a pipe line 20 having installed therein adjacent the block awater control valve Hl', and also a check valve 20', the latterpreventing back pressure into the cooling system. A coupling 26 formedwith a reduced orice of a size such as will limit the water taken fromthe system to the desired quantity is also installed in the water supplyline 20, the latter leading to the steam generator and terminating in adrip pipe it which extends into the generator chamber I8 and is formedwith a plurality of holes which permit the water to drip onto theexhaust pipe and be vaporized or converted into steam. The drip holes inthe discharge extremity of the pipe are preferably smaller at theentrance than at the rear end of the pipe, or graduate in size from theentrance to the rear to eiect a more even drip of the water onto theexhaust pipe.

From the vaporizing or generator chamber I8, the steam is conductedthrough a line 2 l which is preferably insulated to avoid condensation,to a iiexible hose coupling 22 and thence through pipe Z3 to theradiator or heat exchange device generally indicated at I6 and which maybe of any preferred type. The radiator I6 is shown located near the topof the trailer body and above the level of the inlet to the coolingsystem, so that a more even distribution of heat throughout the body iseffected and the condensed steam or water will more readily drain andpass back to the said system.

The return line from the radiator or heater I6 is made up of the pipe24, the flexible coupling 25, and the pipe 26, the latter leading backto a suitable point in the cooling system.

Connected between` the pipes 2l and 26 is a pipe line which hasinstalled therein an additional radiator or heater 29, the latter beingpositioned in the cab of the truck to heat the latter. A by-pass line 21also connects the pipes 2| and and beyond this by-pass line 2T arevalves which may be closed when it is desired to shut the steam off fromthe heater I6 and disconnect the trailer from the truck.

A solenoid valve 30 is preferably provided in the line 20 and isconnected into the electrical system of the Vehicle in a manner suchthat when the heater switch, (not shown) is turned oi, the line 2U willbe closed so that water will be prevented from accumulating in the lineswhen the system is not in use.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a definite quantity of Water maybe taken from the cooling system and fed to the generator Il, the steamfrom the latter passing into the heater or radiator I6, Where itcondenses in Whole or in part and then passes back into the coolingsystem. The system readily accommodates the dual heaters l and 29. Itwill be noted that a trailer or truck body may be readily equipped witha heater at any desired point therein and that the arrangement of p-artsis such that the steam may be generated at a point relatively close tothe heater, with a resultant minimum loss of heat during conduction ofthe steam to the heater. I have found with the improved system that dueto the eiective coupling arrangement very little solution is lost duringthe coupling and uncoupling operations.

It will be understood that certain minor changes in the construction andarrangement of parts may be adopted within the scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

I claimi 1. A heating system for a truck with a trailer attached theretoand having a compartment to be heated comprising, in combination with aiiuidcirculating motor cooling system and an exhaust pipe for saidmotor, a `drum operatively associated with said exhaust pipe anddefining a vapcrizing chamber, means for conducting a predeterminedquantity of Water from the cooling system to said chamber, a heatexchange device located in the trailer compartment, a pipe lineconnecting said drum With said device and having flexible connectionstherein, a return pipe connection between said device and the coolingsystem, a valvecontrolled by-pass spanning said pipe lines and coactingshut-off valves in said latter` lines in rear of said by-pass forclosing ofic the said device from the remainder of the heating systemwhen the trailer is to be detached from the truck.

2. A heating system for a truck having a trailer attached thereto andprovided with a compartment to be heated comprising, in combination Witha motor and cooling system therefor and an exhaust pipe for said motor,a steam generator operatively associated with said exhaust pipe, meansfor conducting Water from the cooling system to the generator to beconverted into steam, a heat exchange device or radiator located in thetrailer compartment, a steam line leading from said generator to saidradiator and a return line leading from said radiator back to thecooling system, exible connections in said lines, a pipe connectioncommunicating said lines, a separate heat exchange device or radiatoroperatively interposed in said pipe connection and adapted to bepositioned in a calc or like compartment of the truck tof which thetrailer may be attached, a valve-controlled Icy-pass spanning the saidsteam and return lines and said latter lines being provided Withshut-oli valves in rear of said ley-pass whereby when the trailer isdetached from the truck the heating steam for the latter may be directedthrough a closed cycle.

WILLIAM JOSEPH REICHLE.

